Owwwwww, my head!!!!

Will someone please take the vice off of my head???? I have had this freaking headache for two days straight. It is definately a tension headache. I broke down and took one of Betsy's migraine pills, and although I am a bit dizzy, it finally took the pain away. I took a nice, hot, leisurely bath and that seemed to help as well.

I was planning on spending a relaxing day sewing and becoming one with the thread....however, Betsy came into my room this morning complaining that her chest was tight and felt like someone was sitting on it. She was also dizzy and nauseated. Of course, that worried me, being that she had already been through a course of antibiotics last week for her bronchitis. I took her to the doctor today and she said that her lung were clear and sounded good. She did, however, say that she had yet another sinus infection, and that was irritating her already stressed throat and chest. She also said that the z-pack isn't the strongest antibiotic to use for a sinus infection, so she gave her a new prescription and said that if she wasn't better by Friday to come back. I felt much better after seeing her and being reassured that she didn't have pneumonia. So, Betsy and I ended up spending a nice day together....even though we were both feeling crappy. It was so nice to spend time with her....it was a bonding experience for us....awwwww. LOL. I'm sure she will roll her eyes when she reads this.

Right now wee one is at church with her friend. For the past three days they have been having spelling bee try outs. She has made it to the very end these past two days, only to miss the last word. I think that this last one that she missed should be stricken from the record, since they gave my Yankee daughter a southern word....shoofly. Who uses shoofly anymore? LOL....she spelled it "shoEfly" lol. Poor kid.

Well, I am getting sleepy sitting here, so I am going to go relax and enjoy the effects of my headache pill....ahhhhhhh, bliss!

Headaches and such....

My head has been pounding since 1:30 today. I took Tylenol but it did nothing to help. I think it's a tension headache. I'm looking forward to lying down tonight and relaxing.

I got up this morning and got myself ready so that I could go to the store after dropping wee one off at school. I had a list of things that I really needed (I was out of Pledge AND Pine Sol! Oh the horrors!), and I wanted to get my shopping done early. I got to Wal-Mart at 7:45 am and got the first parking spot! I guess that's the secret to good parking there....it was pretty empty too, which made it nice. I actually got to walk down the middle of the aisles. Anyway, I got what I needed....and then got sidetracked by the clothes. $100 later....I was out the door with my cleaning supplies, and several new outfits to wear whilst dusting! LOL.

From there it was off to get gas, pick up a prescription and the grocery store. It was so windy and rainy this morning that the electricity went off three times while I was shopping. And let me tell you, it was pitch dark in that store! You could hear the employees yelling, "Time to go home!" LOL. It was another nice, rainy day today.

Yesterday it rained all day as well. Being the good mother that I am....I decided to pick Betsy up at the bus stop so that she wouldn't have to walk home in the rain. Well, of course I put down the garage door to drive the 1/2 mile....and of course, the electricity went out while I was gone. And of course I had latched the top sliding lock on both the front door and the sliding glass door....which meant we were SOL. And....of course....Betsy had to go to the bathroom! LOL. So, we left to pick up wee one at school, figuring that when we got home it would surely be back on....nope. JB came home and we were still sitting in the driveway. Somewhere around 4:00 the electricity came back on and we were able to go inside. Guess what I did before I left today? Yes....I made sure that the sliding locks were open! The weird thing about the situation was....earlier in the day I was windexing the glass door, and when I was putting the slider into place I thought to myself, "Gee, that would really suck if I did this and left, and the electricity went out." Oooooh, spooky!

Betsy just got back from a mandatory meeting at work. Seems the owners sold the business! Fortunately, the new owners will keep the staff that they have, and they also own another shop in St. Augustine, so they will (hopefully) run things better. I'm telling you, Betsy is getting NO hours. Her last paycheck? A whopping $28. She applied at a few places this weekend.

I made a great pie yesterday. Cherry-cranberry....mmmmm. I mixed the remaining homemade cranberry sauce with a can of cherry pie filling and boy was it good! I always do that when I make my homemade sauce. We didn't have enough left over turkey for sandwiches, and I served the last of the side dishes last night with dinner. So, we are officially out of Thanksgiving chow. Whew.

Well, I do believe I will go make myself a cup of coffee, and hope that the caffeine will help this headache. Nighty night!

The Christmas Tour....

I am finally done with the decorating....woohoo! I did, however, forget to take pics of the lights outside. I'll do that later. Wee one is sitting here complaining that I am taking too long with all my pics. LOL....she just doesn't understand that this is my leisure time!

We went to a wedding last night in downtown Jacksonville. Of course it was the same time the annual boat parade on the river was going on, so we hit some pretty unbelieveable traffic! We got there on time, however, and ended up enjoying a spectacular view. The room that the wedding was held in was in a horseshoe shape with the curve being all windows that overlooked the river, with a perfect view of all of the festivities. It was a lovely wedding....the room looked like the inside of a cabin, lit by twinkle lights and a fireplace. Very romantic. JB and I had such a nice time just being together. After the wedding we all went outside on the deck and watched some of the parade while they set up for the food. There were only about 60 people there, and that made it nice. We had finger food and some very good wine. When it came time for the toast, we also got champagne....which was also rather tasty. I ended up drinking mine and John's....and somewhere along the way I began feeling verrrrrry mellow and verrrry dizzy! LOL. I'm a total lightweight when it comes to drinking.

After we ate, they started the fireworks over the river. Holy cow. I've never seen such beautiful fireworks in my life! We were surrounded by two huge bridges....one to the left and one to the right....which were shut down and fireworks were shot off from them as well as the barge in the middle. It was spectacular. All at once both bridges were set off and it was like Niagara Falls with sparklers, raining down into the water. Gorgeous! That was an unexpected treat!

Today we went to church, then to the store for timers to put on the outdoor lights, and then out to lunch. We had a really nice time just talking and enjoying the day. Afterward we came home and everyone went their own way....doing homework and reading and watching tv. It was a nice ending to the long weekend.

So now, I'm off to get things organized for school tomorrow, and to let my darling albeit annoying daughter use the computer!

 

"

Thanksgiving Friday....

Yesterday we had our restaurant dinner for Thanksgiving. It was okay. John and I had chicken fried chicken which was excellent....everyone else had the turkey dinner which was - cold, hard, and icky. Those were the adjectives used to describe it by my girls and my mom, lol. So today, I made the dinner that we missed. Turkey, stuffing, green bean casserol, broccoli and cheese casserol, sweet potatoes and homemade cranberry sauce. Everyone loved it....and I have to admit, it was pretty good! We have pies in the fridge, but everyone is too stuffed to eat them.

Today was also decorating day. John and wee one went out at 8:30 and came in at 3:00. They got the front yard done....1500 lights in the big tree, icicle lights along the roof and the two reindeer, candy cane lights along the walkway, and little spiral white tree. They both said they were too tired to do the back yard, so they will attempt that tomorrow. JB mowed and trimmed probably for the last time until February. I put up the dining room tree and decorated that room, Betsy put up her tree, I did the living room and the kitchen. Tomorrow I'll put up the family tree....I'm too exhausted to even think about it right now.

Tomorrow night we have the wedding for someone at work. It's also the same night as the parade of lights along the river, which means it will be super crowded. I am still not sure what I'm going to wear.  Oh well....I'll figure it out tomorrow.

Okay, I'm off to crash in the bedroom....I hope that everyone had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!!

BINGO!

Wee one's Thanksgiving dinner/party at school went wonderfully. The kids were so excited to get their turkey and mashed potatoes. I took my huge crock pot filled to the top with taters....and came home with nothing! We had them frost and decorate their own sugar cookies, and of course they had a grand time doing that. After they ate, I had them play a game of Thanksgiving bingo....which is exactly like regular bingo except there is a picture of a turkey in the free space. LOL.

I had bought four of those huge chocolate crisp moose suckers that Betsy got at Walgreens, as prizes for the games. On the third game, however, what do you think happens? Yup....THREE consecutive Bingo's and only TWO suckers left. Luckily, wee one was one of the winners. I said to the class, "Well, since there are three winners and I only have two suckers.....and my daughter is one of the winners....she doesn't get one!" They all laughed....well, all except wee one. LOL. Actually, she was fine with it, as I promised her I would buy her one this weekend. One of the little girls that won actually offered to give her's to wee one (awwwwww), and another offered to split it. I thought that was really nice.

One thing that happened that I, personally, thought was great....the teacher did not allow the kids to start eating until everyone had been served and was sitting down. When they were all ready, he said, "Now, what do we do before we start eating?" I knew what he meant....he was going to have the kids thank the parents for bringing in the food. However, all of the kids yelled, "Say a prayer!" He had a look on his face that was somewhere between uh-oh and what do I do now? So he said, "Do you guys want to say a prayer?" and they all said yes. He allowed two girls to say a little blessing before they ate. It was so sweet. One little girl gave a traditional versed prayer, and the other made it up as she went along, thanking God for the kids in the class, the parents, the food, and blessings for "those in need". Say what you will, I thought it was wonderful. While we were setting up for the party, there were two kidsthat dressed up....one little boy was George Washington, and he read the first Thanksgiving Proclamation. The other little boy was President Bush, and read last year's. The kids then compared the ideas and issues raised in each. I thought it was a nice way to incorporate history with modern day. A lot of the ideals were very much the same. The kids got a kick out of the boy who wore the knee highs and hat....lol.

Right now JB is outside washing my van for tomorrow's big outing. You know, you have to travel in freshly washed and waxed style! LOL. I vacuumed out the inside, windexed the windows and gave it a once over with my very favorite ALL Fabric Refresher Spray. Mmmmm, smells so good. He is also going to hang my car tree....we had to do a bit of repair on the poor guy....he has gotten kind of brittle over the years! But he still lights up....and that's what's important.

Well, I'm off to wash out my crock pot and fold some clothes. I wish each and everyone of you a very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving. For those who are traveling, be careful and have a wonderful trip....and for those staying home with family, enjoy a cozy day with your loved ones!

I'm a bad mommy....

About a week and a half ago Betsy started sneezing and complaining that her throat hurt. I didn't think anything of it and gave her hot tea and tylenol. After about a week she was still complaining, but didn't ask to stay home from school....even attended an all day concert on Sunday. Today she woke up with a slight cough and said she felt like crap. Being that the holiday is coming up, I told her after dropping wee one off at school, I'd take her to Solantic for a quick check up. The diagnosis? "Hmmmm, you must have had an upper respiratory infection for a while. Now you have bronchitis." Talk about feeling like a total a$$! I always take her to the doctor if anything hangs on for 4 days....and every time they say, "It's a virus, give her plenty of fluids and tylenol." Of course the  one freaking time I don't rush her in....is when I should have! The good news is that she has her trusty antibiotic Z-pack, an expectorant, and the remainder of the week off from both school and work to recuperate.

After the doctor I took her to Walgreens to get her prescriptions, and I let her pick out her piece of "sick candy". Yeah, every time the girls are sick and I take them to get the medicine, I let them get a little treat. She chose a huge chocolate crisp moose sucker. LOL. From there we went grocery shopping for our Thanksgiving dinner which I will be cooking on Friday. This year will just be too hard on mom to have our traditional meal at home, so we are going out. Last year, my dad had his final meal by mouth on Thanksgiving at my house....on Friday it will have been his 70th birthday as well. It will be an emotional holiday this year, but I know we will get through it. It helps to know that Dad will be surrounded by loved ones this year, enjoying dinner with his parents and son.

While we were shopping I went through the meat department and guess what they had? The cutest pot roasts on sale....and all of them had Christmas bows on them! You know, I wasn't in the market for one....but I bought one anyway. Presentation is everything I guess! When I went through the checkout, the cashier and both baggers were laughing at it. I told them that the ones with bows were free....I got a laugh....but still paid $10 for it.

We went to the bank after that, and on to one other grocery store for two gallons of tea, sherbet, yogurt and cottage cheese. Oh, and pickles. I never buy the chilled dill pickles, but I though they would be good with leftover turkey sandwiches. (Am I reaching for subjects when I start writing our my grocery lists? lol). When we got home Betsy laid down for the afternoon, and I cleaned up, put away the groceries, then took a bit of a siesta myself. It's "that time" again, and I've been so tired.

I made a baked chicken burrito for dinner. The demonstrator at the pampered chef party made one and it was really good. Of course, I didn't remember exactly what was in it, but I think I got it pretty close. Everyone loved it. Betsy is at work right now, doing her big three hour shift. She is not allowed to take the day off unless she finds her own replacement, and it was too short notice for her to do so. I'm thinking the new sneeze guard at work was a wise investment....KIDDING....lol....

Right now wee one is doing her science vocab next to me, complaining all the while. She just said to me, "Please get me away from learning!" LOL....so I suppose I will turn the keyboard over to her. Tomorrow is the big Thanksgiving party at school which means I have to be up at dawn making tons of mashed potatoes....oh, joy.

Just a bunch of nothing....

I took some pics of my highlights, but they didn't turn out very well. They look really bright with the flash on, but you couldn't see them without it. Plus, I was taking the pics myself and you know how that goes. I decided to go sans makeup today, so there was no way you were going to get a face shot! LOL....I'll do one later. I'm feeling lazy.

Well, not lazy, but depressed. I don't know why. I just feel like crud. I know that I should be counting all of the wonderful blessings that I have in my life....but all I can seem to focus on are the non-blessings. I'm in such a funk. I knew it was bad when I cried at the end of the show I was watching....Food Network's "Championship Pie Challenge"....when the old lady finally won the coveted blue ribbon she had been after for so long. Yeah, there is definately something wrong when I'm weeping over cherry berry pie....

I spent my Sunday buying tons of Christmas decorations, lights, ornaments, lawn decor....I thought it would make me feel better. It did....for about 3 hours. Now I just feel crappy whilst sitting in a nicely decorated house. Sigh.

I did finish all of my laundry and ironing yesterday, so that was a good thing. I also watched The Secret Window while ironing. Talk about creepy! It was really good though.

Okay, I'm off to finish cleaning then I have a few errands to run....have a good one.

Saturday....

This morning I woke up and decided I would wash my hair with a really detergent-y (is that a word?) shampoo and see what happened. I ended up with lather that looked like scoops of orange sherbet. I scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed. I had to use two different shampoos....one for the top where the color was so bad, and a medicated one for the back since I must have been allergic to whatever she put on my head, and spent the night scratching my scalp to a lovely shade of crimson. The shampoo made no difference....the color remained. Somewhere between copper penny and prison issue orange. So....I called the salon and thank goodness she was working "on call". I had the receptionist give her a jingle....and two hours later she called me back. I went in and she toned it down quite a bit....and I have to say I'm much happier.

She said that when she was in the back mixing her concoction, she had to use more than last time because my hair was so much longer. The stylist with her told her to double the powder....but she didn't think that she should. They discussed it and for some reason....she decided to go ahead and take the other woman's advice. Whatever....just get the flames off my head! LOL....I will take some pics tomorrow, as I just finished watching Madagascar with dh and wee one, and I was laying down, smooshing my do.

I also re-colored Betsy's hair today. Feria came out with a new product for black hair, that is supposed to lighten it up a few shades. We tried it and while her hair is still darker than her normal color, it looks better. That stuff just was NOT washing out. I told her she is never EVER going to color her hair at home again. EVER. I. MEAN. IT.  She is going to have to go in and have a few inches cut off though. It's pretty damaged on the ends now.  Is there an over the counter shampoo that works as good as the professional ones? Every time I ask they try to sell me the $26 per bottle stuff. I know it probably is the best....but can't they just tell me what to use if I don't happen to have $26 for freaking shampoo? Melissa? What do you think?

Anyhoo....Madagascar was a really cute movie. I stopped at Target today to pick up the hair color and it was on sale. Wee one watched it this afternoon, then again with us tonight. I made some homemade potato bacon soup and apple cinnamon cookies, and we had a little picnic in the living room. It was soooo freaking good!

Oh, and yes, the girls made it all night out in the tree house! They said it was "awesome" and "so cool". LOL....JB said that was worth all the hours of work....awwww. Listening to the girls chattering away last night was so funny. I heard, "He was TOTALLY looking at you!" "I know he was!" "He is so TOTALLY CUTE!!!!" They are too funny....even Betsy was laughing. All three girls have blonde hair, and they all had pony tails and hoodies on. They are still in the adorable stage, but you can see that puberty is on the horizon! Sheesh....why do they grow up so fast????

That was pretty much our day. Betsy is at her friend's house for the night and tomorrow they are going to a concert. I suppose the three of us will go to church, and then I'd like to go to the store and get some Christmas lights. We are due for some new ones for the outside. Yippee!!!! I found a Santa gnome today....but I didn't buy it. I don't know why. Well, yes, because I got wee one three tops and a pair of pants instead. Maybe next time.

Okay, I'm going to go braid wee one's hair (dear Lord, please let her have brushed it before she got into the tub!), and relax. I got no sleep last night. Well, I did get some sleep but woke up with two numb shoulders from being squished into the corner, and a bout of seasickness from him tossing and turning all night in the tiny little bed. Then he has the audacity to get up and say, "I slept horribly. I should have slept in our bed." Well duhhhhh.....didn't I tell you to do that in the first place? MEN!

Highlights....

I'm not sure what I think of my new $125.00 highlights. I know....I didn't expect the sticker shock either. Last time I was there she colored and highlighted and it was $95. I don't know what happened since March. I think this time she charged me separately for both processes. I picked out a richer, deeper base color....a lovely deep chocolate color with a hint of red. For the highlights, a brighter red....but not shocking. I think she left me under the dryer too long with the foils....my highlights are looking more pumpkin orange as the night goes on....I'm not sure if I'm happy with it. Not only that, the color seems to be much stronger at the top (where most of the heat was), than at the bottom. I think I may call her and ask that she tone it down a bit. When I picked the girls up from school this afternoon, I didn't mention my hair....and they didn't notice it until I said something. But when I pointed out my copper penny coif, they both looked at me and said, "Ohhhhhh. Yeah, now I see it." They said it looks good....but I still don't know. My mom liked it....and John didn't notice it either. When I pointed it out to him, he walked all around my head, hesitated for a split second, and then said he liked it. Hmmmmm.....I will see what happens over the weekend, as she doesn't work again until Monday. If it doesn't wash out a bit....as red usually does on me....I may be returning on Monday.

In other news....wee one is having two of her girlfriends over to spend the night in the tree house. JB brought home a box heater for the cool evening air, and we put the tv/dvd player up there as well. We stopped at the store after school for the usuals....bagel bites, push ups and grape Crush in bottles....oh, to be a kid again! As Betsy was watching wee one pondering the various bags in the snack aisle, she said to me, "I wish I were a kid again." LOL....welcome to my world....

DH was a sweetie tonight and got some Mickey D's for us. I was not in the mood to cook....but now, I'm regretting it. My tummy doesn't feel too good. That's twice today I didn't have a good feeling about something, did it anyway, and was sorry with the results. Dang it.

We are still waiting for one little girl to get here. I am the designated "waiter"....as you can't hear the doorbell in either end of the house. So here I sit, whilst Betsy is in her room watching a movie, JB is in the living room doing the same, and the girls are in MY room watching Nickelodeon. Tonight I am sleeping in wee one's room, with the window open so that I can hear the girls if they need me. JB was not happy with that idea and has said he is going to sleep with me. I don't know if he is insane or what....but we aren't in the same shape we were back in the day....there is no way both of our "ample butt's" are going to fit on a twin mattress! LOL....He thinks it will be "romantic" and "cozy". I think it will be "cramped" and "annoying"!

I don't think we have any plans for the weekend thus far. Mom is coming over in the morning so that JB can do her brakes, and that's about as far as the plans go. I can't believe that next week is Thanksgiving already! I have to get going on the turkey bingo game I promised for wee one's party....not to mention I was chosen to bring mashed potatoes for the dinner at school. No sweat, I thought. I'll just get two containers of the pre-made stuff....badda bing badda bang....we have potatoes! However, wee one said, "Oh mom, pleeeeeeeeease make your homemade ones!" Crap. How can I say no to that?

 

This is so cool....giggle....

Give AOL a "pound"-ing....go HERE!!!!

Whatever....

It's amazing what 24 hours can bring. We have gone from a family community of journaling friends to a community divided over banner ads and privacy. I agree that AOL has made a huge error in judgment in putting the ads in our journals. I can understand why the Aim users would have them, but paying customers? I thought that was part of what I got when I agreed to pay for this service. And the reason I chose AOL in the first place was for the sense of community. I was more than happy to pay my $24.95 for easy to navigate message boards (gone), fun, hosted chats where I could meet with other sahm's for a delightful trivia game on Fridays (gone). I loved the fact that our Journaling community had our own little page of AOL journalers, and the excitement of seeing who would make the top five every week (gone). It was like a little family back in the day....but, alas, like most good things it is coming to an end.

AOL is striving to be like all the other ISP's out there, giving up quality for quantity. Well, I tell you what....if someone came out with a service that was full of the things AOL once had, you can bet I'd be one of the first to sign up. I like the quality....and I will gladly pay for it too. I do not like what has happened, it is wrong on so many levels....however, I don't know that at this point I want to leave and start over somewhere else. I have made friends here....lots of them. They are real friends who I care about. I read about them every day....I feel like I'm a part of their lives, and that they are a part of mine. I like this little world I, and others have created and become a part of. I guess the question is....should I let AOL and their advertising drive me away from my happy place? At this point, I'm saying no. For me, I've decided to sit back and see where things go. I know that the banners are here to stay....the loss of membership will be a drop in the bucket to the revenue they will reap with the advertising. Do I agree with it? No. Will I ever click on one of the ads and give them my business? No. I guess that will be my protest for the time being.

There are so many other issues lately that have gotten me down, that I just want to crawl into a hole, and hide out until it passes by. Then again....it's in the passing by that life happens. The good and the bad. It just seems like it's getting harder and harder to keep a happy attitude.

And so, on that jovial note, I shall go and vacuum something.....my answer to all of life's little foibles!

WTH AOL????

What is going on with AOL???? I click on to my happy place (i.e. this journal), and there is no button to add an entry....yet there is a huge BANNER AD on my PAID AOL ACCOUNT JOURNAL. Hello???? I am not using a freebie AIM account, I do not need advertising on my journal thank you very much. This is getting rather frustrating. I am doing this entry via a different browser, thanks to suggestions on the Journals message board. Hopefully this is a one time glitch and things will be up and running again soon.

Anyhoo....

Yesterday I did a bad, bad thing. I didn't mean to do it, but it was one of those things that you just can't help. I took wee one to school in the morning, and dropped her off at the usual time. I left the parking lot and merged into the usual bumper to bumper traffic that is Jacksonville Florida. I was cruising along at a minimal speed with the usual fellow driver up my butt....I had just looked in my rear view mirror to check on how close she was behind me, when I caught a bit of furry movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked over and there on the sidewalk was a squirrel, trying to decide if he should cross the street or not.

Furiously, I began sending subliminal messages to him. "No, don't, stay right where you are! I can't stop or I'll be rear ended! Please, for the love of Pete stay where you are!" He must have been receiving them because he would start....stop....step off the curb....turn....go....no....stop....ummmm....turn.....and then things went into slow motion....

::begin tragic music here::

Slowly, my head turned toward the little guy, just as he began his tragic run across the street. As our eyes met, a lifetime of words passed between us, although neither of us could voice them. I saw the anguish in his eyes as he ran, knowing that he would not make it. And in mine, I hope that he read the sorrow I was feeling as I continued on, not being able to break. As we moved closer to one another, I could see a look of acceptance come over him, as if to say, "It was inevitable....if you hadn't gotten me, it would have been someone else. Don't worry....I'll be fine." Silently I nodded and for a moment, we hung there, suspended in space and time, knowing that the world would go on....and then came the sound no one wants to hear. The quick THUD that let me know Mr. Squirrel had gone on to a better place. A paradise of traffic free roads....fields full of nuts and corn cobs....a place where he can run free for the rest of his days. I did sneak a peek in my rear view mirror and saw that indeed, he was....well....no more. I felt horrible.

Later on in the day, when I picked wee one up, I again had to pass over the "spot" where the tragedy happened. However, I did not see a body....my spirits lifted....perhaps I just stunned the little guy and he got up and ran away! I was feeling much better. I could just see him sitting at the dinner table with friends, a little bandage on his head, telling his amazed friends how he cheated death once again. However....this story has a sad ending. This morning after dropping wee one off I realized why I had not seen him....he was really, really flat. Had the sun not been shining down on the pavement, I would have continued to believe that I had missed him and that he had somehow escaped the tragedy that had befallen him.  I know that it was not intentional, yet still, I feel sad.  I called my husband immediately after it happened for support. He said, "You did WHAT????" Wow honey, thanks for the kind words! Sheesh.

Anyway, that is my tragic story for the day. I think I'll spend the rest of the day in quiet contemplation of the meaning of life....sigh.

Sunday night....

Ahhhh, it's a nice, quiet Sunday night....the MIL is back home  again in Indiana and things have gotten back to normal here. We spent the day putzing around the house....which was just what I needed. I cleaned the entire kitchen....moving things around, washing down all of the cabinets and the baseboards, organizing the fridge/freezer and pantry. I keep going in there looking at it and feeling all warm inside. It looks great! I even steam cleaned my rugs. Yesterday I helped Betsy move her room around before she went to work. It was her suggestion, not mine. She came into the computer room and said, "Mom, I just have the urge to move my furniture....I want it to feel cozy for the winter."  Ahhhhh, a girl after my own heart! I have to say we did a great job and it looks wonderful.

 Saturday we saw Wallace and Gromit, The Curse of the Were Rabbit. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly suggest you do. It was wonderful! Both kids and adults will love it. The girls laughed through the entire thing.  The theater was pretty empty, being that Chicken Little was playing at the same time. We saw the previews to that one and it looks pretty entertaining.

I can't believe it's the middle of November already. It seems like it's September with the warm weather. It is supposed to get into the mid 70's at the end of the week....well whoop de do. Wee one and I were just in the bedroom watching Home Alone and when they showed the outside of Kevin's house, she said to me, "Now THAT is what Christmas should be like." I have to agree with her there. It just isn't Christmas without snow....however unless it "freezes over" here (and yes, I am implying something by saying that! LOL), we won't be enjoying a White Christmas.

Well....I suppose I shall be off. Time for the Simpsons and then it's bedtime for the wee one. Night all....

TGIF....

****Edited by me after reading my first few comments....I do not have a tree up in my HOUSE....I meant putting a tree GRAPHIC in my journal!!!!! LMAO....even I am not that compulsive! LOL                               I feel strange puting a Christmas tree in here when we just got back from the beach! We took the MIL to St. Augustine this morning, and then on to the beach for a few pics. The sand was so white, and the water is beginning to get cold....not quite body numbing but cold enough. We started off at Cracker Barrel which was sooo good....I was freaking starving! We all got the "holiday sampler" which was just what it sounded like....a sampling of everything. I am still full! Tonight we are going to take the girls to the movies to see Wallace and Gromit, and I'm looking so forward to it. We have loved them since Betsy was small. This will be our "farewell" outing for the MIL, as she is leaving tomorrow morning. I have to say, we have had a great time with her and I will miss her when she leaves!

Oh yes....our trip to Disney. I think we all enjoyed it much more than Universal. It was another day of perfect weather, a bit warmer (low 80's) and sunnier but still pleasant. There was no humidity which helped a lot. The park was more crowded, but in the areas that we weren't really planning on going (for the younger kids). Thankfully, wee  one got over her fear of the rides and rode both Splash Mountain and....oh crud....I can't remember the name of the other roller coaster. It's right there next to splash....not space mountain....anyhoo, they had a ball on both of those rides. However she did say that the "Small World" ride creeped her out, and she wasn't crazy about the Pirates of the Caribbean either. I think because you feel sort of closed in (like the "other" ride that we shall not speak of). The lines weren't long at all....as a matter of fact, we walked right into the Pirates and were immediately seated on a boat. It was great. We did take the steam engine train around the park which was relaxing. As for souvenieers....Betsy got a P of the C shirt and a stuffed Simba, and Wee one got a Jack Skellington purse. They didn't ask for much....which was nice! The only bad part of the day was when they were all on Splash Mountain, and I decided to be sneaky and grab a hot dog....I was starving! So, I get one, and set myself up to watch them come downthe ride. I take a bite of the hot dog....and let me just say that "hot" is the operative word here....and it burns the top of my mouth so bad that I immediately get a blister that bursts, and I'm left with 7 remaining inches of hot processed meat that I can't enjoy.  Not to mention the $3.00 bag of salty chips. I did manage to drink the coke....although each mouthful was like gargling with hydrogen peroxide....the bubbles and the "sizzle"....ouch! Guess that will teach me to be a pig! Later on I tried a cup of pineapple sorbet which felt good and bad at the same time. Good when it cooled it down, and then bad as the acidic juice hit it. I tell ya, I can't win! LOL.

All in all I give Disney 4 ****'s. It was a great day. I'm glad we finally took the girls. They really enjoyed themselves. Even Betsy told me that she enjoyed spending the time with family. Awwwww. See? It really is the happiest place on earth!

My trip to Orlando. By Sherry B.

First off, I must say that my camera battery ran out of juice, which means I did not have as many pics of Disney as I wanted. Hopefully the girls caught more on their cameras. I won't know until they are developed....

We started out at Universal Studios. It was so nice....and so not crowded! The wait time for every attraction? 5 minutes tops. The day was partly cloudy which was just perfect....in the mid 70's. We began at the Shreck 4-D attraction which was so adorable! We sat in a movie theater type deal, with our funky glasses as the characters jumped off the screen. The seats moved along with the carriages, and when donkey sneezed, a mist of water covered our faces....it was hilarious!

After that is was off to the Back to the Future ride. Now, John has been talking about this forever....and we were all excited to go. We got right in and I should have known bad things were going to happen when they put you in the little "holding room" for your instructions. A 5X8 room with a locked door behind you and elevator doors in front. After a good five minutes in there, we were led to the car. It was the five of us, and two adult men and a little boy. We get in the car and as she locks us in, mumbles something about "is anyone claustrophobic?" I barely catch what she says when the lights go out and the horror begins....

The screen opens and the car starts jerking you around like a rag doll. You truly, TRULY feel like you are flying through space. I have wee one in front of me saying, "MOM GET ME OFF THIS THING!!!!" and me thinking, "Holy s**** I'm going to die." So, with the grace and elegance of oh, let's say a raving lunatic, I scream, "WILL SOMEONE PLEASE STOP THE RIDE???? PLEASE???? ANYONE????" I don't know who was more horrified....me or the guy in front of me who turns around with a look of "for the love of GOD, if you are going to puke lean over the side!" At this point my MIL is on one side of me laughing and yelling, Betsy is on the other side with her arms around me calmly saying, "It's okay mom, it will be over soon", and wee one in the front with her head between her knees. I don't know how long the ride was, as I spent my time with the palm of my hands pushing my eyeballs practically through my skull, repeating over and over the Lord's prayer. When it ended, the guy in front of me says, "Are you okay????" LOL....I mumbled that I was and shot out of the ride, through the door and into the fresh air. I didn't even wait for wee one! (Nice, huh?)

When we got out, John begrudgingly stepped over to me (at that point he did not want to be seen with the "crazy woman") and asked if I was okay. I told him I was, although I was shaking so bad I could barely walk. Wee one was clutching my hand so hard I lost feeling for a while. She said she cried a little, and then decided to cover her head. She said it worked....she also said that the little boy next to her yelled over, "this is fun, isn't it?!" to which she replied, "UH NOOOO!" lol. In any case....that was the last ride wee one and I went on that day. We spent our time checking out the shops and walking around while John, his mom and Betsy enjoyed the MIB ride, the Mummy, Earthquake, Twister, Jimmy Neutron....even ET! LOL....However, wee one did decide to try the Woody Woodpecker roller coaster after seeing the three year olds on it....she said it was fun and went on it three more times~!

We did see a few shows as well, which were not scary at all....Animal Planet Live was okay. Not what I thought it would be though. Two dog tricks, a few birds, and a monkey. They brought out a snake for a few minutes too. It was mostly a big commercial to get folks to watch Animal Planet. They had a big screen above the stage and kept showing clips from all the shows. Heck, I could watch that at home! We caught the Blues Brothers giving a concert on the street, which was great. They had the characters down pat! It was really good. Then we saw the Beetlejuice show. Now, I figured it would be cheezy....and it was....but it was so good! We all enjoyed that one. Very funny, entertaining....good music too! I have to say that Betsy thoroughly enjoyed this park. She and her dad had a great time together, riding the crazy rides and having a ton of fun. I guess it was a kind of "bonding moment" for them....which right there was well worth the admission price!

And so....that ended our day at Universal.

Sherry's Travel Ratings:

Universal Studios....**** stars
Time of year to go.... definately November. No crowds,
beautiful weather
Stay away from.... Back to the Future (for the love of all that is holy run as far and as fast as you can!)

(Since the MIL is pacing about, I suppose I should save the Disney tales for my next entry....until then!)

I'm baaaackkkkk....

(Erin....you forgot I was going on vacation???? LOL....)

We are back from two fast and furious days in Orlando. Day #1 at Universal Studios....day #2 at Disney Wold.

I am going to unload photos and unpack my suitcases....I'll update tomorrow!

My degree is from "Brady U"....

I was walking through the room this evening whilst dh was taking a test in business law. The question was on "caveat emptor". As I breezed by I said, "buyer beware....answer d". He looked at me and said, "How do you know that?" to which I replied, "Mike Brady....don't you remember that episode?" (Greg wants to put down his $100 on a car....) He rolled his eyes and chose that answer....which was correct, btw.

I was all ready to sit at my desk and write an entry....had my radio AOL set to Christmas music, wearing my favorite cozy pj's....when dh reminded me that he needed my talented fingers to type up his 5 freaking pages of homework and submit them for him. Sheesh! I typed it all up like the good little secretary that I am, and by the time I was finished, needed tylenol for the ache in my shoulders. Hence, no entry last night. I ended up sitting on the bed, watching Supernanny with wee one.

Right now dh is running around, finishing up a few chores around the house before we leave for the airport to pick up his mother. An entire week of, "Oh, it's so warm here. I could never live somewhere without the seasons. I know it's hard to shovel snow but I couldn't live  where it is warm all year long." Yes, I know that, yes I agree with that....but do you have to keep reminding me???? LOL. Actually, she is not a problem at all. She was never the "mother in law from hell". She has always respected our privacy and decisions. She is really, a very sweet woman.

I have all of my work done....the ironing is finished (praise God!), the wash is all caught up, the house is clean, the bedrooms are ready....I do have to run to the grocery store and pick up a few things, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow for that. We will be leaving for Orlando in a few days, and we are staying in a condo which means I can bring food. That will cut down on the $10 breakfasts! I want to get a few things to take along so that we aren't eating out the entire time. I also need to look up directions to the place. I'm not sure where it is exactly....probably would be a good idea to check that out!

I need to go through some mail and do some online banking before I can get ready to leave....so with that, I shall bid you adieu....enjoy the weekend!

A little of this and a little of that....

Notice how I just skip Thanksgiving and go directly into Christmas? I don't know what has gotten into me. My desktop is Thanksgiving, as well as my icon and wallpaper, but I can't help but feel all holly-jolly inside. AOL radio has their Christmas music stations up....but I'm disappointed with it. They have rock, r&b, eclectic....but not a traditional station. The closest I have found is the jazz holiday station. Maybe I'm just missing it. If I am....point it out to me! LOL....

I had to run errands this morning. I went to the bank, took out a small loan for gas, picked up Betsy's contacts, then went to Wal Mart. I had to get some material because Betsy is making an apron in sewing class, and wants to make it for ME. She told me to pick out whatever fabric I wanted (and I got to pay for it too! LOL....) I chose a plaid Christmas design with a solid red accent. It will be pretty. Let's see....I picked up only a few things that weren't on my list. A mini hot roller set for my hair (only $12.96) and some lip liner. Oh, and I did get some of those "space" bags where you put the comfort in , then vacuum suck the air out so that it's flat. I love those things! I should go on eBay to get a better deal though. Two for $12 is kinda ridiculous. Oh yeah, I did get new burners for my stove too. Ummmm, a shower curtain, four boxes of nasal spray (dh is a real snot....lmao) and razors. I'm sure there are a few more things, but I'm not sure what. Don't you hate it when you leave the store and you think you are forgetting something? I had a list, and I followed the list....but I still felt there was something I forgot. Oh well....

I then ran to my mom's to check out her new front door....beautiful stained glass btw....and her new pot bellied stove. Lookin good. Then we ran to my grandmother's for a minute so that mom could help her pay her tax bill....then it was back to my car to pick up some lunch and come home. I don't know what it was today, but I was craving a burger and a shake. Now I'm full....too full. I have 1/2 of a shake left and I can't finish it. I'll have to throw it away to hide the evidence....dh will tease me and the girls will whine that I didn't get them anything! LOL.

My mil will be flying in on Saturday afternoon. Sigh. I do enjoy visiting with her, but I'm not quite in the mood right now. Of course, I will be when she gets here, but I'm just a little on edge lately (thank you Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo). I've been a bit snippy with the family, and I feel like I'm going to jump out of my skin half the time. My privacy will be gone for a week....but for three of the days we will be in Orlando, so I suppose it won't be that bad. We are going to Universal Studios, which should be fun. We have never been there so anyone who can recommend a "can't miss" attraction, be sure to let me know!

Well, I'm off to wash some sheets and try out my space bags. I'm so excited! (and perhaps a bit pathetic as well?)

By popular demand....

Since so many have e-mailed and commented about the cornbread/hotdog muffins....I shall share the recipe. I would love to say that my culinary skills are such that I thought up the recipe all on my own, but alas, I found it on a cooking board one day whilst surfing. These are soooo good. My family loves them....and they are good warmed up in the microwave too!

Simply mix up one (or two, if you are really hungry!) Jiffy corn muffin mixes. Cut up two to four hot dogs, (depending on your love for pork products), and stir into the mixture. Bake according to package directions. Depending on how many hotdogs you use, you may have to leave them in for a minute or two longer. Refridgerate any leftovers. They are great with chili....obviously. I believe the person who originally posted the recipe said that she sent them with her child for lunch, however I have not done that. My girls like them straight from the oven....Enjoy!

Another haunting over....

And so another Halloween comes to a close. I have to say, it was a perfect evening for trick-or-treating. It was just slightly cool outside (I had on a zip up sweatshirt and shorts), with a lovely breeze. We started out at 6:15, and I was back in the house by 7:00! I just can't get over the fact that trick-or-treating down here is not a big deal. We had 3 people at our door. My mom had 3 people....she lives in a condominium complex with tons of kids. Of course, this does mean that by the end of the evening, people are throwing fistfulls of candy into wee one's bag, just to get rid of it! LOL....

Betsy did stay home and hand out the candy. I had wee one walk up to the door to try it out....just to see if Betsy would actually answer. She passed with flying colors! It was a very quiet night for her, sitting here at the computer, talking to her other friends who got stuck at home with candy duty.

Today is my favorite day....it's "undecorating" day! LOL....I will spend my time taking down and putting away the Halloween decorations. For me, it's kind of like the "lemon ice, palette cleansing" part of a fancy meal. I'll give the house a little breather before the Christmas decorating starts in a few weeks. I have a few turkeys I'll put up for Thanksgiving, but nothing too outlandish. When the girls were really little, I would have all of the undecorating done by midnight on Halloween! LOL.  I've settled down a bit since then....

Well, I'm off to flip calendars and put my jack-o-lanterns to rest for another year....